The rotor brake of a vertical lift aircraft such as a helicopter can be applied with hydraulic actuators that use multiple hydraulic pressure settings for different operational situations. In some cases, a first pressure setting is a higher pressure than a second pressure setting. For example, a lower pressure (e.g. 220 psi) can be applied to the rotor brake to slowly stop the rotor after landing. Likewise, a higher pressure (e.g. 800 psi) can be applied to the rotor brake to hold the rotor from rotation during engine start-up.